Mt. Fuji Galore!

 

Please see the Japanese translation below!

These pictures are from a trip Setsuko and I just did to Kawaguchiko, one of the best places to see and photograph Mt. Fuji. What a treat it was!

 Another huge vote of thanks to Setsuko for making this fabulous trip happen. She could not have done any better!

We started by going to a very peaceful spot on Lake Kawaguchiko. I came prepared as I had all of my professional photo gear. As much as I prefer to take the train, I will admit it was handy to take the car this time as it made it easy to transport all of my gear.

That first spot was stunning as it gave us an excellent view of Mt. Fuji. A really good start to this amazing trip! We then headed to the Fuji Premium Resort, a wonderful resort with indoor and outdoor tennis courts and the best kept secret around!

I had some time so I took off to explore. My sixth sense said to go in a certain direction, as I was looking for views of Mt. Fuji. Sure enough, I soon saw a sign that said, "Mt. Fuji View Field"! A ten minute walk and I found what looked like the field. So, where is Mt. Fuji? 

This predicament reminded me of a trip I did to the Grand Canyon a number of years ago. I first went to the more popular South Entrance and arrived before sunrise. The parking lot was huge! It was pitch black as I parked and started to search for one of the largest canyons in the world. It was nowhere to be found! I walked around that parking lot for fifteen minutes until I finally found the path to the canyon!

As I walked through the Mt. Fuji View Field, I looked every which direction I could, to no avail. I kept moving closer and closer to the housing building that was at the far end of the field. I then turned around and saw the most gorgeous view of this famous mountain. I was shaking in my shoes, it was so amazing!

I guess the weather gods did not want to spoil us too much as it poured and poured rain the next day. However, the third day, the brilliant sun and clear blue sky were stunning! I photographed the same Field site at sunrise and then we went to the famous Chureito Pagoda.  It is a heart pumping 400 steps to the Pagoda! That is the location of one of the most iconic views of this famous mountain.

Not one to miss out on a challenge, I kept going and hiked up to an even more stunning view spot for Mt. Fuji. It was breath-taking!

And so the Mt. Fuji saga continues! I have a feeling my love affair with that mountain will continue for many years!

All the best,

Bob Reed 

日本語訳は下記をご覧ください！ これらの写真は、節子と私が先日行った河口湖旅行のものです。河口湖は富士山を眺め、写真を撮るのに最適な場所の一つです。本当に素晴らしい旅でした！ この素晴らしい旅を実現させてくれた節子に、改めて心から感謝します。これ以上ないほど素晴らしい旅でした！ まずは、河口湖のとても静かな場所へ向かいました。私はプロ仕様の写真撮影機材をすべて持参していたので、準備万端でした。電車で行くのが好きなのですが、今回は車だったので機材を運びやすかったので便利でした。 最初のスポットは息を呑むほど美しく、富士山の素晴らしい景色を眺めることができました。この素晴らしい旅の最高のスタートとなりました！その後、屋内と屋外のテニスコートがあり、周囲に隠れた名所でもある素晴らしいリゾート、富士プレミアムリゾートへ向かいました！ 少し時間があったので、散策に出かけました。富士山の景色を眺めたいと思っていたので、直感的に「ある方向へ行こう」と感じました。案の定、すぐに「富士山ビューフィールド」という看板が見えました！10分ほど歩くと、フィールドらしきものを見つけました。さて、富士山はどこにあるのでしょう？ この窮地は、数年前のグランドキャニオン旅行を思い出させました。最初は人気の南口から行き、日の出前に到着しました。駐車場は広大でした！車を停めて、世界最大級の渓谷の一つを探し始めた時は、あたりは真っ暗でした。ところが、どこにも見当たりません！15分ほど駐車場を歩き回り、ようやく渓谷への道を見つけました！ 富士山ビューフィールドを歩きながら、四方八方探しましたが、何も見つかりませんでした。フィールドの端にある住宅にどんどん近づいていきました。そして振り返ると、あの有名な山の息を呑むほどの絶景が目の前に広がりました。あまりの美しさに、私は震え上がりました！ 翌日は土砂降りの雨で、天気の神様は私たちの期待を裏切らなかったようです。しかし3日目は、輝く太陽と澄み切った青空が息を呑むほどでした！同じフィールドサイトで日の出を撮影した後、有名な忠霊塔へ行きました。塔までの400段の階段は、心臓がドキドキするほどです！そこは、この有名な山の最も象徴的な景色の一つが見える場所です。 挑戦を逃すまいと、私はさらに挑戦を続け、さらに素晴らしい富士山の絶景スポットまで登りました。息を呑むほど美しい景色でした！ そして、富士山の物語は続きます！この山との恋は、きっと何年も続くでしょう！ ご多幸を祈ります。 ボブ・リード

 

Nihongo-yaku wa kaki o goran kudasai! Korera no shashin wa, Setsuko to watashi ga senjitsu okonatta Kawaguchiko ryokō no monodesu. Kawaguchiko wa fujisan o nagame, shashin o toru no ni saitekina basho no hitotsudesu. Hontōni subarashī tabideshita! Kono subarashī tabi o jitsugen sa sete kureta Setsuko ni, aratamete kokorokara kansha shimasu. Kore ijō nai hodo subarashī tabideshita! Mazuwa, Kawaguchiko no totemo shizukana basho e mukaimashita. Watashi wa puro shiyō no shashin satsuei kizai o subete jisan shite itanode, junbimantandeshita. Densha de iku no ga sukina nodesuga, konkai wa kurumadattanode kizai o hakobi yasukattanode benrideshita. Saisho no supotto wa ikiwonomu hodo utsukushiku, Fujisan no subarashī keshiki o nagameru koto ga dekimashita. Kono subarashī tabi no saikō no sutāto to narimashita! Sonogo, okunai to okugai no tenisukōto ga ari, shūi ni kakureta meishode mo aru subarashī rizōto, Fuji puremiamurizōto e mukaimashita! Sukoshi jikan ga attanode, sansaku ni dekakemashita. Fujisan no keshiki o nagametai to omotte itanode, chokkan-teki ni `aru hōkō e ikou' to kanjimashita. An'nojō, sugu ni `Fujisan byūfīrudo' to iu kanban ga miemashita! 10-Bu hodo aruku to, fīrudorashiki mono o mitsukemashita. Sate, fujisan wa doko ni aru nodeshou? Kono kyūchi wa, sūnenmae no Gurandokyanion ryokō o omoidasa semashita. Saisho wa ninki no minamiguchi kara iki, hinode mae ni tōchaku shimashita. Chūshajō wa kōdaideshita! Kuruma o tomete, sekai saidai-kyū no keikoku no hitotsu o sagashi hajimeta toki wa,-atari wa makkuradeshita. Tokoroga, dokoni mo miatarimasen! 15-Bu hodo chūshajō o arukimawari, yōyaku keikoku e no michi o mitsukemashita! Fujisan byūfīrudo o arukinagara, shihōhappō sagashimashitaga, nani mo mitsukarimasendeshita. Fīrudo no hashi ni aru jūtaku ni dondon chikadzuite ikimashita. Soshite furikaeru to, ano yūmeina yama no ikiwonomu hodo no zekkei ga me no mae ni hirogarimashita. Amari no utsukushi-sa ni, watashi wa furueagarimashita! Yokujitsu wa doshaburi no ame de, tenki no kamisama wa watashitachi no kitai o uragiranakatta yōdesu. Shikashi 3-nichi-me wa, kagayaku taiyō to sumikitta aozora ga ikiwonomu hododeshita! Onaji fīrudosaito de hinode o satsuei shita nochi, yūmeina chūrei tō e ikimashita. Tō made no 400-dan no kaidan wa, shinzō ga dokidoki suru hododesu! Soko wa, kono yūmeina yama no mottomo shōchō-tekina keshiki no hitotsu ga mieru bashodesu. Chōsen o nogasumai to, watashi wa sarani chōsen o tsudzuke, sarani subarashī Fujisan no zekkei supotto made noborimashita. Ikiwonomu hodo utsukushī keshikideshita! Soshite, Fujisan no monogatari wa tsudzukimasu! Kono yama to no koi wa, kitto nan'nen mo tsudzukudeshou! Go takō o inorimasu. Bobu rīdo